Month-long raid to rein in tomato prices

The Delhi government has launched a month-long inspection of wholesale markets across Delhi to keep a check on the irregular price rise of tomato and onion.

"We will carry out intense inspections in the wholesale markets," said Delhi Food Minister Imran Hussain.

Hussain chaired a high-level meeting with officials of the Department and directed that every wholesale market and prices of commodities at the market should be scrutinised every week.

Earlier, the traders of the Azadpur Mandi had gone on strike for three days demanding a "corruption-free" market environment.

Accepting their demands, Hussain said in the meeting that no corruption at the ground level will be tolerated.

"We will strictly curb the hoarding," Hussain said, noting that the main reason of irregular price rise in the markets is hoarding.

According to the Minister, hoarding is also an effect of growing corruption at the wholesale markets.

After the meeting, Hussain asserted that huge variation between the retail prices and wholesale prices indicates that the possibility of hoarding.

The Minister has formed different groups to carry out inspections and directed that the confidentiality about the inspections should be maintained at every level. He also asked to ensure that the inspections are surprise.

Hussain also assured the officials that he will also join the inspections.

Senior officials of the Food department said that many ground level officers have complained about hoarding. The Minister will chair some more meetings to set up guidelines against erring traders.

The officials also said that the Department is likely to formulate rules to cancel licenses of traders associated with hoardings.

Inspections will be carried out in all vegetable wholesale markets, such as Azadpur Mandi, Okhla Mandi, Ghazipur Mandi and Keshopur Mandi.

According to the Delhi government, retail price of tomato was Rs 68 per kg on July 3, but it rose to Rs 92 on July 31.